5/21: “Stay Out of Politics, Spitz,” Says Majority of NYS Voters

Nearly two-thirds of registered New York State voters — 66% — do not want former Governor Eliot Spitzer to run for statewide office this year. Only 28% want him to throw his hat into the political ring. 6% are unsure.

More New York State voters are against a political comeback for their former governor this year than when Marist last asked this question in its April 14th survey. At that time, 58% ruled out a 2010 Spitzer run while 30% thought a 2010 political campaign should be in the cards. 12% were unsure.

“Eliot Spitzer’s attempt to reconnect with New York voters is not paying off in the short-run,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “He has become more visible lately but not more electable.”

And, what about voters’ opinions on Spitzer’s political future? A majority of registered voters in New York now give a thumbs-down to any idea of a candidate Spitzer. 52% do not want the former governor to ever run for public office in the future while 43% do. 5% are unsure.

In Marist’s previous poll, voters in New York were more divided. 48% did not want Spitzer to ever return to politics while 45% did. 7%, at the time, were unsure.

Regardless of a possible political comeback, what are New York voters’ impressions of their former governor? A majority — 54% — have an unfavorable view of him, a slight increase from the 50% of the electorate who had this view in Marist’s previous poll. The proportion of voters who have a favorable impression of Spitzer — 36% — has also increased. When Marist last asked this question in mid-April, 28% had a favorable view of Spitzer. As a result, more voters have an opinion about Spitzer now. Only 10% are unsure how to rate him compared with 22% who said they didn’t have a clear impression of him in April.